Chapter 26
Gabe
A week was long enough. A week was more than enough time as far as I was concerned. I had let Sarah have her way. I had left her alone. I had given her the time and space she said she needed, that Elle had insisted I give her, but enough was enough.
I missed Elle, I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t work.
I certainly couldn’t be in my place. Everywhere I looked, everything I did reminded me of Elle.
She should be with me, she should be in my bed, but instead, she was off doing who knew what.
I hated that I didn’t know. I hated that she hadn’t contacted me.
I hated that Sarah hadn’t answered any of my calls or texts.
I hated that I was in limbo and it was time for it to change.
The first thing I needed to do was get Sarah to talk to me.
Once she had forgiven me, we could work on her being okay with me being with Elle.
I could understand a little why she was so upset.
Elle and I hadn’t handled it right. We should have told her sooner.
I couldn’t change the past but I could do everything in my power to make the present and future better for all of us.
Sarah and Elle had been friends for years.
I knew how important Elle was to Sarah. I didn’t want their friendship to be ruined.
I wanted to help them mend the fences and be back in each other’s lives.
I knew it was the only way that I could have Elle in my life, too.
If I had to go through Sarah to be with Elle, I would do it. I would do whatever I had to do.
I hadn’t liked not talking to Sarah. I hadn’t realized how much we had talked, how much I counted on her advice, or even her sunny disposition.
We hadn’t had the best relationship when she was younger.
We had been working on making that better when everything happened with Elle. I wanted to get that back.
It was hard to find out where my need to have Sarah in my life ended and my desire to have Elle by my side began.
Sarah was the one who had introduced us.
I would never have met Elle if not for Sarah.
I was grateful that she had brought us together, but I was livid that she was the one who was keeping us apart.
I needed to talk to her, to clear the air. I wanted her to understand just how much Elle meant to me. And how much I had missed having Sarah around. I felt like I had been living half a life without them to keep me in line. I would be only half a man until they were back in it.
Sarah had avoided my calls and texts. She had even sent back the chocolates I sent her.
They were her favorite and it showed me just how upset she was with me.
I wanted to think that a week was more than enough time for her to want to talk to me.
I was going to find out when I went to her apartment and confronted her.
When I got to her door, I heard laughter coming from the other side. I smiled knowing that Sarah was in a good mood, but she generally was. I thought for a second that I heard Elle’s laughter but quickly dismissed it. I knocked on the door and the laughter stopped.
The door was immediately opened, and Sarah stood on the threshold. She stepped back as if she had been expecting someone else. She gave me a questioning look but she didn’t slam the door in my face. I took that as progress.
“Sarah. Hi,” I said sheepishly.
“Hey, Dad. What are you doing here?” She crossed her arms and glared at me.
“I was hoping we could talk. If you’re willing?” I asked.
She looked over her shoulder and said, “I don’t know. Do you think I should let my father in?”
Sarah stepped away from the doorway, and my heart jumped at seeing Elle.
I just stared at her for a few moments. She was sitting on Sarah’s couch, a plate in front of her, a beer at her side.
She looked relaxed and happy wearing a pair of yoga pants and a loose-fitting sweatshirt.
It gave me just the briefest glimpse of her shoulder and my body reacted on seeing even that bit of skin.
“Elle,” I breathed.
She slowly stood up as if she couldn’t believe I was there. I didn’t either. I had so many questions I didn’t know where to start. As if in a trance, I walked into Sarah’s apartment. I heard her close the door behind me but I didn’t pay her any attention. I only had eyes for Elle.
“You’re here,” I said as I stood in front of her.
“So are you,” she said breathlessly.
“How?” I asked and turned to look at Sarah.
“Elle and I had a talk. We cleared the air, or we’re working on it. You have perfect timing. Why don’t you join us,” Sarah said.
“Really?” I turned to look at Elle.
“Yeah. Things are better with us. But I’ll let Sarah tell you,” Elle said and sat on the couch. I joined her as Sarah sat on the chair near it.
I looked over at Sarah. I wanted to look at Elle as she was sitting next to me. I could feel the warmth of her body next to mine. I longed to put my arm around her or even take her hand but I didn’t. I needed to see what Sarah had to say first.
“I found Elle in the library tonight and we had a talk. We cleared the air about some things. We’re working through them. Things got a little heated the other day and I’m seeing I might have been a bit harsh with my judgment of you two,” Sarah said.
“There was a lot to take in. It’s understandable that it was going to take you some time to process.
And what have you figured out?” I reached over and took Elle’s hand in mine and squeezed it.
She squeezed it back. It reassured me. I could feel a week of tension and worry leaving me.
There was still a lot we were going to have to deal with but this was definite progress.
“It isn’t my favorite thing in the world that you and Elle are dating but I can see it isn’t my place to keep you apart. I might not like it but it isn’t my decision to make. Especially if you two care about each other as much as you seem to.”
I looked over at Elle and smiled at her. She smiled back. “I missed you,” I said.
“I missed you too. I hated being apart,” she said.
“Me too. This last week sucked,” I said to her and turned to look at Sarah, “But if you needed the time, I’m glad we could give it to you.”
“I had no idea that you two had ended things after I found out. I thought for sure you were seeing each other behind my back. I was angrier about that. When Elle told me you hadn’t. I could see how much you wanted to make this right. It helped me to see I needed to do the same thing,” Sarah said.
“Thank you, Sarah. I want you to be okay with this. I care about Elle. More than I ever thought was possible,” I said.
“Really? How much?” Sarah asked.
I gave her a questioning look and she gave me a slight nod.
I felt like she was giving me her blessing to tell Elle how I really felt.
I nodded back at Sarah and then turned to look at Elle.
I took her hands and brought them to my lips.
She smiled back at me and I knew without a doubt how I felt about her.
“Elle. I had no idea what I was getting when I agreed to let you move in with me. I had no idea that you would change my life for the better. I had no idea what I was missing, how lonely I was until I had you in my life. Every day is better with you. Certainly, every night,” I said.
“DAD!” Sarah said.
I shook my head but didn’t look at Sarah as I continued talking to Elle.
“This last week was the worst of my life. I felt as if my life wasn’t whole, as if I was missing a part of me.
And it wasn’t just you but Sarah too. You were right.
As much as I wanted you in my life, I never would have been okay with being with you if it meant I lost Sarah.
You are the wisest woman I’ve ever met. I’m in constant awe of you and everything that you’ve done.
I can’t wait to see what you do next and I want to be there with you when you do it.
“It’s no wonder that I am completely and hopelessly in love with you,” I said.
“Gabe,” Elle said as she blinked back tears. “I love you too.”
“You do?” I asked.
“Yes, you idiot. She does,” Sarah said from behind me.
I laughed and turned to look at Sarah. “Are you okay with this?” I asked.
She tilted her head and asked, “Who am I to get in the way of true love?”
“Your support means everything to me,” I said and turned to look at Elle. “To us.”
Elle nodded and then looked over at Sarah. “Thank you for understanding. You’re the best friend a girl could ask for.”
“And don’t you forget it. And don’t think for a second I’m ever going to call you Mom,” Sarah said and we all laughed.
I looked back over at Elle and smiled at her and said, “I wouldn’t mind calling you wife, though.”